The best 23andMe alternative after the 2025 bankruptcy

23andMe’s bankruptcy turned millions of people’s raw genomes into an asset to be valued and sold. If you are looking for what comes next, here is what actually changed and what your honest options are.

What happened

In 2025, 23andMe filed for bankruptcy, and its most valuable asset going into the process was not lab equipment or a brand. It was a database of genetic profiles from roughly 15 million customers, evaluated as part of the proceedings. Add the 2023 credential-stuffing breach that exposed profile data for millions, and the same question keeps surfacing: once a company holds your raw genetic data, what actually protects it, and for how long?

Why it matters even if you already have your results

Even if you downloaded your raw file and feel done, two things stay true. Your data may still sit on their servers or a successor’s, and every new interpretation service you use makes the exact same custody decision over again. The lesson from 2025 is not “avoid DNA tests.” It is “know exactly where your data sits, for how long, and who could end up owning that server.”

A checklist for any alternative

Before you upload your file anywhere or pay for a report, ask:

• Does my raw file get uploaded to a server at all, or is it processed on my device?
• If something is uploaded, exactly what: the full file, or just specific results?
• Is this a subscription, meaning an ongoing reason to keep my data, or a one-time transaction?
• What happens to my data if this company is acquired, sold, or goes bankrupt?
• Are weak findings labeled as weak, or presented with false confidence?

The honest options, compared

Promethease (about $25 one-time, verify current pricing): you upload your raw file, and it returns thousands of findings ranked by a community “Magnitude” score you triage yourself. No subscription, but your file is uploaded, and the volume can overwhelm without genetics literacy.

Genetic Genie (free or donation): focused on methylation and detox-pathway genes. Free is appealing, but your raw file is uploaded to their servers.

SelfDecode (about $99 per year, verify current pricing): a broad subscription platform with continuously updated reports, which means your genetic data lives in their cloud indefinitely and access ends when you stop paying.

Verinome ($49 one-time): your raw file is parsed in your browser and never uploaded. The paid report checks only about 200 specific marker readouts to build evidence-graded findings, each labeled A to D by strength of evidence. No subscription, no account, and a free preview before you pay anything.

Each serves a slightly different person. Promethease and Genetic Genie suit enthusiasts comfortable triaging large amounts of unranked data. SelfDecode suits people who want an ongoing dashboard. Verinome suits people who want one graded, sourced report without an upload or an ongoing relationship.

Can you still use your old raw file?

Yes. The raw file does not expire and works with any modern tool built for the standard export format. If you have not exported it yet, do that now (Settings, then Download raw data), independent of which tool you eventually choose.

See why we built Verinome this way, what is included at $49, or the full comparison against all four options above.

Educational, not medical advice.